Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the Joint Institute, and is it officially approved by the Ministry of Education?

A: CCNU-UOW JI is a Chinese-foreign cooperative educational institution jointly established by Central China Normal University and the University of Wollongong, Australia, and officially approved by the Ministry of Education. For details, please refer to the public information on the website: https://www.crs.jsj.edu.cn/aproval/getbyarea/16

Q2: How is the single degree awarded?

A: Students who complete the required courses and meet the graduation requirements will receive a Master's degree certificate from the University of Wollongong, Australia (which can be certified by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) of the Ministry of Education).

How is the double degree awarded?

A: Students who complete the required courses and meet the graduation requirements will receive a Master's degree certificate from the University of Wollongong, Australia (which can be certified by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) of the Ministry of Education), as well as a postgraduate graduation certificate and a Master of Electronic Information degree certificate from Central China Normal University (a complete set of three certificates).

Q3: What are the requirements for students applying to the single degree program?

A: Applicants for the single degree program are not required to take the National Postgraduate Entrance Examination.in a relevant science and engineering discipline, have an undergraduate average score of 70 or above, and submit application materials for review according to the requirements of the Joint Institute. Applicants who pass the review by the Joint Institute and the University of Wollongong must take an independent admissions test organized by the Joint Institute. After passing the test and obtaining a preliminary admission offer, candidates will be formally admitted according to the following two methods in order of priority.

(1) Applicants with an IELTS score (valid for two years) of no less than 6.5 overall (with no sub-score below 6.0) will be formally admitted.

(2) Applicants with an IELTS score of no less than 6.0 overall, or a score of no less than 60 in the English section of the 2026 National Postgraduate Entrance Examination, or a CET-6 score of 450 or above will be conditionally admitted.

The aforementioned conditionally admitted students must attend an English intensive course provided by the Central China Normal University Wollongong Joint Institute (starting in early July, at their own expense). Upon passing the assessment, they will be considered to have met the requirements of the University of Wollongong and will be formally admitted.

What are the requirements for students applying to the double degree program?

A: Applicants for the double degree program are required to hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant science and engineering discipline, and have an undergraduate average score of 70 or above. They must complete online registration and on-site (or online) confirmation in accordance with the postgraduate admissions brochure of Central China Normal University, select a program under the CCNU UOW Joint Institute, and take the National Postgraduate Entrance Examination.

Candidates whose preliminary examination scores (both overall and individual subject scores) meet the minimum requirements for the Joint Institute's re-examination are eligible to participate. After passing the re-examination and obtaining a preliminary admission offer, candidates will be formally admitted according to the following two methods in order of priority:

(1)Applicants with an IELTS score (valid for two years) of no less than 6.5 overall (with no sub-score below 6.0) will be formally admitted.

(2)Applicants with an IELTS score of no less than 6.0 overall, or a score of no less than 60 in the English section of the 2026 National Postgraduate Entrance Examination, or a CET-6 score of 450 or above will be conditionally admitted.

The aforementioned conditionally admitted students must attend an English intensive course provided by the Central China Normal University Wollongong Joint Institute (starting in early July, at their own expense). Upon passing the assessment, they will be considered to have met the requirements of the University of Wollongong and will be formally admitted.

Q4: What are the undergraduate background requirements for applicants?

A: The institute gives priority to admitting undergraduate graduates in the following relevant majors:

(1) Master of Computer Science(Computer Science and Technology, Software Engineering, Machine Learning and Big Data/AI)

Computer Science and Technology; Computer System Architecture; Computer Software and Theory; Computer Application Technology; Software Engineering; Cyberspace Security; Computer Technology; Data Science and Big Data Technology; Internet of Things Engineering; Digital Media Technology; Network Engineering.

(2) Master of Telecommunication Engineering(Telecommunication Engineering)

Information and Telecommunication Engineering; Communication and Information Systems; Signal and Information Processing; Electronic Science and Technology; Physical Electronics; Circuits and Systems; Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics; Electromagnetic Field and Microwave Technology; Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Automation.

Note: Science and engineering students who apply to our institute as their first choice will not be restricted by the above major requirements.

Q5: What additional requirements must cross-disciplinary students meet when applying for the single degree program?

A: Cross-disciplinary students should have studied (as a major, minor, or through self-study) the core courses of their intended major, possess relevant technical experience, and demonstrate a strong interest in the field.

Specifically, all students should have a certain foundation in language and programming. Applicants for the Computer Science program should understand the fundamental theories, knowledge, skills, and methods related to computer hardware, software, and applications.

In addition to registering through the pre-application system, cross-disciplinary students must also complete the "Single Degree Application Form for Cross-disciplinary Students of the Wollongong Joint Institute" (see attachment) when applying.

Q6: How to apply and what is the schedule?

For the Single Degree Program, applicants should log in to the official pre-registration system of the Joint Institute, complete the application form, and submit the required documents. Admission will be granted upon successful assessment by both the Joint Institute and the University of Wollongong.

For the Dual Degree Program, applicants must follow the annual postgraduate admission guidelines of Central China Normal University (CCNU) to complete online registration and on-site confirmation. Admission will be based on the standard national postgraduate entrance examination process, including the preliminary test, re-examination, and final admission.

Q7: What is the cost of studying at the Joint Institute?

A: The tuition fee at the Joint Institute is RMB 80,000 per academic year (subject to the official rates published by the university's Finance Office). To meet program requirements, the Institute introduces foreign faculty and curricula, and equips facilities according to the University of Wollongong's standards. This significantly increases the per-student training cost. However, studying here remains highly cost-effective compared to pursuing a degree in Australia. Graduates of the Single Degree Program receive a degree identical to that awarded to students who study the same program on the University of Wollongong's Australian campus.

Q8: How are the scholarships structured?

A: Since its establishment in 2016, the university has implemented competitive scholarship policies to attract outstanding students and foster a positive academic environment. Under the Joint Institute's financial aid program, the maximum full scholarship is RMB 80,000. Additionally, undergraduate alumni from Central China Normal University (CCNU) or domestic partner institutions of the University of Wollongong are eligible for an Alumni Scholarship of up to RMB 12,000.

Q9: What are the differences between the Single Degree and Dual Degree programs?

A: Admissions Process: The Single Degree Program operates on an application-based system. Students only need to submit the required application materials and will be admitted upon successful review by the Joint Institute.

Single Degree students are required to study at the University of Wollongong's main campus in Australia for one semester to obtain their master's degree. The specific timing for this overseas study is determined through mutual agreement between the two universities.

Q10: Requirements for submitting degree certificates and undergraduate transcripts.

A: Graduating students must submit their bachelor's degree and graduation certificates, along with the official four-year undergraduate transcript, (stamped with the official university seal ) at the time of application.

Current students must submit a certificate of enrollment and an official transcript up to the date of application at the time of application. Upon enrollment verification, they must provide their bachelor's degree and graduation certificates, as well as the complete official four-year undergraduate transcript (stamped with the official university seal).

For more information about the UOW CCNU JI program, you can visit the UOW Offshore student page. The page will be able to answer questions about enrolment, what forms to submit and give you more information about what it means to study at one of UOW’s global campuses.

Link to the offshore student page: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/offshore/index.html

FAQs for offshore programs: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/offshore/UOW215574.html